


Eyes on Fire

by Thanatopsiturvy



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Sex, Enthusiastic Blow Jobs, Exceptionally Horny Individuals, M/M, Meet-Cute, Not Your Average Modern AU, Porn with Feelings, Recreational Drug Use, Setting Bad Examples for the Youths, Thieves Guild, Yes Mercer Owns a Strip Club, except not, extensive worldbuilding, one-night stands
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:54:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23420503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thanatopsiturvy/pseuds/Thanatopsiturvy
Summary: Teldryn Sero is in Riften to work. Given the nature of his job, it's best if he makes as few attachments as possible during his stay.Which is the exact opposite of what he does.Beneath the grit and the crime of Skyrim's sleaziest city, he somehow finds charm and beauty and warmth, especially in the company of a man who might very well be his most delightful downfall.
Relationships: Male Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/Teldryn Sero
Comments: 28
Kudos: 59
Collections: 5E201





	Eyes on Fire

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I wrote this story almost 7 months ago. Why the fuck have I been sitting on it for so long? Because there's SO MUCH MORE to it that I want to write. 
> 
> This Skyrim Modern AU has morphed into something great and terrible and beautifully communal. Some amazing writers in the fandom are digging around beside me in this sandbox right now, and it's been an amazing experience.  
> Please, [check out our collection](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/5E201) to read more work from this little project. 
> 
> But now, it's finally Aerik and Teldryn's turn. Mwahaha! (No plans right now as to how many chapters this thing will have - it's more of a side project than a main one).
> 
> \---
> 
> Thanks so much, [Kestrelshade](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kestrelshade/) for being a second pair of eyes!

“This place looks like a dump.” Teldryn’s lip curled in distaste, sizing up the front of the building. He stood outside of Nightingales Bar and Club with Ravyn Imyan, one of his only friends in this damn city, waiting to be let in. 

“I promise it won’t kill you to try something new for once,” Ravyn shot back as he lit a cigarette , shaking the match to extinguish it. “Besides.” He inhaled deeply, letting the smoke out through his nostrils as he spoke. “They’re my people.”  
  
“From what you’ve told me, that doesn’t seem to be the case much anymore.” 

Ravyn just shrugged, taking another pull from his cigarette. “The only people who are still dragging things out are the damn fetchers at the top. Some of the new bloods are so young they don’t even  _ remember _ the split.” He nodded his head towards the door, where a massive shadow of a Khajiit stood blocking the entrance. A slim Bosmer checked IDs at his side. “For instance,” he exhaled more smoke, “that guy works for Karliah, with me, technically.” 

“The Khajiit?” 

“Mhmm… But, he moonlights here. And guess what? Nobody says a damn thing.”

Teldryn let out a dry laugh. “Well, personally I can’t say I blame them.  _ Look _ at him.”

Once they reached the door the Bosmer took one look at Ravyn and smiled a bit fiercely. 

“Haven’t seen you around here in a good while.” His voice was smooth, almost melodic.

Ravyn smiled back, equally sharp. “I’m showing my friend there’s more to life than old, dirty Cornerclubs.” 

“Like old, dirty strip clubs,” Teldryn grumbled. The Bosmer laughed, jerking his chin over his shoulder, motioning them in. Teldryn nodded to the Khajiit, who made no move to return the gesture. The inside of the club wasn’t as loud as Teldryn was expecting, though a set of stairs immediately off to the right seemed to be the source of a distant, thumping bass and cheering.

“The dancers are upstairs, if you’re interested.” Ravyn leaned in close to speak and Teldryn could smell the cigarettes on his breath. 

“I think I’ll be fine. Let’s just get a drink.”

The bartender was a pretty but tired-looking Nord with blonde hair and perky tits. Her top was cut low and Teldryn made a determined effort to look her in the eyes as she addressed him. 

“Gentlemen,” she smiled half-heartedly. “What’s your poison for the evening?” 

“I’ll take a Cliff Racer,” Ravyn replied, already thumbing through his wallet. “My friend’s first drink is on me.” The bartender looked to Teldryn. 

“Ah, I’ll just have the house sujamma. Neat.”    
“Fucking Azura, Teldryn, I didn’t bring you here so you could get what you always get.” Rayvn turned back to the bartender. “He’ll also have a Cliff Racer.” 

“Two Cliff Racers, coming right up.”

“So, do I merely get the illusion of choice this evening?” Irritation was already prickling across Teldryn’s skin, exacerbated by the pounding beat above his head and a particularly loud laugh from someone to his right. 

“Take the stick out your ass, Sero.” Ravyn waved his hand, turning to watch a pair of Breton girls go by. “How long’s it been since you got laid?” 

“How is that any of your concern?”

“You’re my friend. Plus, it always puts you in a better mood.” 

“I’ve barely been in Riften for a month,” Teldryn argued. His Cliff Racer was handed to him and he mumbled his begrudging thanks. “The job I moved down here to do is almost done. With any luck, I’ll be packing up and heading back to Solstheim within a fortnight.” 

“You really want to move back to that miserable island?” Ravyn scoffed into his own drink. “It’s hardly more than a tourist trap on one end, or an icy tundra on the other.” He paused, taking a sip. “I figured you’d try to move back to Blacklight, if anything.” 

“You know why I can’t do that,” Teldryn murmured, taking a small sip of his drink. He made a face - it was sickly sweet and absolutely loaded with booze. The thing would get him absolutely wasted if he wasn’t careful. 

“The Tong’s been broken up for well over a century,” Rayvn continued. “You’d be fine.” Teldryn wanted to drop the conversation. 

He drank half his drink before pawning it off on Ravyn, head swimming from the sugary buzz. Their conversation was light, generic. The club swirled around him, unfamiliar and loud, a multitude of races all mingling and laughing, leaning into each other, bodies pressed tightly together - Teldryn felt like a complete outsider. 

“That Nord across the bar has been staring at you for the past twenty minutes, I swear.” Ravyn laughed as he downed the last of the second cliff racer. Teldryn jerked his attention in the direction he’d indicated. Sure enough, as soon as he looked over the Nord in question dropped his gaze, swiveling to look at his friend with a panicked look in his eye. The girl, a dark-haired Breton, seemed to be laughing at him, her cheeks rosy and eyes glassy with intoxication. She gestured openly at Teldryn and the Nord quickly grabbed her hand, slapping it against the bar, making her laugh loud enough to be heard over the din. He was tall, slender but lean, with long blond hair and bone structure that looked as if he were cut from stone. 

“Gods, he looks like a child,” Teldryn mused aloud, turning his back to the pair. Ravyn chuckled, waving the bartender over. 

“He’s a human. You’re probably fine.”

“You say that as if I intend to do anything about it.”

Ravyn inclined his head, his eyes focused over Teldryn’s shoulder. “Well, looks like you won’t have much of a choice.” 

Teldryn swiveled back around quickly to see the lad approaching him - he walked with the confidence of a few drinks, but still coherent enough to keep a straight line. Teldryn felt his stomach drop. This couldn’t be happening.

“Hi.” The Nord had a charming, crooked smile, leaning into the bar. “I, uh… haven’t seen you here before.” 

“It’s because he’s new in town,” Ravyn supplied from over Teldryn’s shoulder, his words beginning to slur. Teldryn pushed him away irritably. 

The Nord chuckled. “Can I buy you a drink?”

Teldryn paused for a long moment, simply blinking at the lad. “Me?” he asked stupidly, mentally kicking himself.

“Yeah.” He laughed. “It looks like you need to catch up.” He nodded to Ravyn, who had just pulled another Cliff Racer towards him. 

“Oh, no, I’m…” Teldryn closed his mouth, turning the situation over in his head. The Nord was looking at him expectantly, his chin resting against his knuckles as his eyes trailed across Teldryn’s face, down his neck. His gaze was heated and Teldryn was suddenly struck with the very vivid,  _ very _ inappropriate mental image of the lad blowing him in the bathroom.    
“Sure, sure…” Teldryn answered quickly, banishing the thought with a wave of his hand. “Why not?”

The Nord beamed. “What do you want?”

“I’ll…” He looked back to Ravyn, who gave him a thumbs up as he tipped his drink back. “I’ll just take an ale.” 

“You got it.” The Nord winked, calling the bartender over. “Svana, two ales, please.” 

“Sure thing, Aerik.” Her smile was kinder than Teldryn had seen yet. A regular, then. 

“Aerik?” he asked, quirking a brow. 

“Aerik Havardr.” He extended his hand. His skin was warm and dry, his grip firm. 

“Teldryn. Sero,” he added as an afterthought. Their ales were placed in front of them. Teldryn took his drink, tentatively clinking it against Aerik’s for a cheers. He was radiating charisma to the point that Teldryn could hardly look away. 

“Well, Teldryn Sero, would you like to join me on the patio? Get away from the noise?” He glanced over Teldryn’s shoulder. “If your friend will be okay on his own, that is…” 

“Oh, don’t worry about me,” Ravyn grinned conspiratorially, nudging Teldryn in the small of his back. “Go, have fun. I’m gonna head upstairs, anyways.” 

“Ah, alright… sure,” Teldryn agreed, getting to his feet. It  _ would _ be nice to get a break from the cacophony of the bar. 

He trailed after Aerik, weaving through the undulating bodies of the downstairs bar, eyes trained on the lad’s silky blonde hair. They finally managed to push their way through the crowd and walk up the short set of steps that led to a small covered patio. Teldryn was immediately hit in the face with cigarette smoke, which he waved away with a cough. 

“There’s an empty table over there,” Aerik pointed out, and without the clatter of the bar his voice was pleasant, smooth and sweet. Teldryn followed him like an obedient old dog. He felt like everyone was watching him, wondering what on Nirn he thought he was doing with something so young, so beautiful. But nobody gave him a second glance . 

Aerik fell heavily into one of the flimsy metal chairs, already looking right at home. Teldryn sat down a little more stiffly, taking in their surroundings. They sat on the uncovered part of the patio, closer to the grubby “lawn”, which could hardly be called such a thing. It was essentially a dusty pit of dirt with sparse patches of old astroturf dappling the edges. A large picket fence with peeling paint separated them from the boardwalk’s edge. There was a cornhole set, because  _ of course there was.  _

“You seemed like you needed some fresh air,” Aerik pointed out, and Teldryn couldn’t help but laugh, turning his attention back to him. 

“If such a thing exists in Riften.” Teldryn winced at how gods-damned cynical he sounded, but Aerik chuckled regardless. Beneath the strings of golden lights that illuminated the patio he was almost ethereal, hair glowing like a halo. Half of his head was shaved, or at least the half Teldryn could see, the rest of his hair pushed to the side, cascading over his right shoulder. His eyes were a light amber to Teldryn’s surprise, and it struck him suddenly that this Nord might have elven blood in him. 

“Yeah, it’s not the most luxurious place to live in Skyrim, but hey… it’s home. For now, at least.” He took a sip of his ale, tongue darting out to lick a bit of foam from his upper lip. “Where are you from, Teldryn Sero?” 

“Well, Aerik Havardr, I’m from Morrowind. Blacklight, originally.”

“Morrowind.” Aerik sighed almost dreamily, slumping into his chair a bit more, putting a foot up against the table’s base. “I’ve always wanted to visit.” 

“Hmm, it’s certainly a place.” Teldryn sipped his own drink, if only to give himself something to do. The ale was bitter, certainly Nordic in origin, but it was a far cry better than one of those damn Cliff Racers - as annoying and dangerous as its namesake.

“What brought you to Riften, then?” Ah, yes, of course. The ‘what brings you here’ conversation.

“Business,” Teldryn responded curtly. “I don’t know how long I’ll actually be in town.” Aerik deflated slightly, but hid it with a charming smile and a wink. 

“Might as well have some fun while you’re still here, then, yeah?” And yes, Teldryn would have to be willfully oblivious to ignore the hints Aerik was dropping. However, he wasn’t simply going to fuck someone who was quite possibly a quarter of his age without getting to know them first. 

“What about you?” Teldryn volleyed. “From here, originally?” 

Aerik was from Solitude, he found out. Raised by his mother, attended the college there briefly (with an aspiration to be a musician) before transferring to Winterhold to study Destruction magic. He worked as a shock mage for Geir Electrical Works to help supply the Rift with power.  “It’s a dull job, but it pays well,” Aerik had explained. Teldryn kept most details about his personal life close to his chest. Aerik didn’t seem to mind. He was bright and talkative, and after a while their conversation felt less like a series of interview questions, and more like an organic, flowing dialogue. He was twenty-five, Teldryn learned, which wasn’t too young for a human, but gods if he were a Dunmer he might as well still be sucking on his mother’s teat. When he inquired about Teldryn’s age he simply replied ‘old’, which earned him a laugh. He wasn’t about to tell Aerik that his two-hundredth birthday had come and gone almost a decade ago. 

Before he knew it, Teldryn had downed the majority of his ale without really noticing. He’d agreed to another when Aerik offered, watching him go as he trotted up to the small outside bar. Aerik wore cut-off short shorts, making his long legs look even longer than they already were, and a loose tank top that showed off his muscular sides and lean arms. Teldryn’s mouth was practically watering, shamelessly eyeing the firm lines of Aerik’s thighs as he leaned against the bar. He jerked his gaze away when Aerik turned around, chastising himself for leering. 

“I got the same thing as before, hope that’s okay.” Aerik set the beer down in front of Teldryn, foam trickling over the side of the glass. 

“Perfectly fine. I quite liked the taste, actually. It was very… Nord.” He smirked into the ale, looking at Aerik over the rim. 

“Ah, so you like the taste of Nord then?” 

Teldryn coughed into his drink, sitting up a little straighter. Aerik laughed at his expense, taking a long pull of his own ale. Teldryn watched his throat bob as he swallowed. 

“You’re not very subtle, are you?”

Aerik managed to look a little sheepish. “Sorry, I uh… I’ve been called a ‘shameless flirt’, among other, less savory names.”

“No doubt.” Teldryn chuckled. He paused for a moment, taking another thoughtful sip of his ale. “I’d say the biggest adjustment to Skyrim has been the food, for sure. Tasteless, a bit watery.”

“Well there are plenty of Dunmeri restaurant options, at least,” Aerik pointed out. “I go to the Boardwalk Cornerclub all the time.” 

“So you like the taste of Dunmer then?”  _ Oh gods. _ Why did he just say that? What was he doing? Fire immediately blazed behind Aerik’s eyes, pinning Teldryn to the spot. 

“What gave it away?” 

Teldryn laughed nervously, which turned into a cough. He shifted in his seat to pull his phone from his pocket. They’d been talking for over an hour - how on Nirn was that even possible? He had a text from Ravyn.  _ ‘Got a cab home.’ _ That fucker. 

“It appears my friend has abandoned me,” Teldryn said with a sigh, sliding his phone back into his pocket. Aerik had pulled out a small silver tin, plucking a thin joint from within before snapping it shut. 

“What a shame.” Aerik shrugged, not sounding very sorry. He held the joint up. “Do you…?” 

“If that’s what I think it is, it’s been years,” Teldryn laughed. “I probably shouldn’t.”

“All good!” Aerik smiled, lighting it up with a flare of magicka from his fingertip - a risky move to pull in public. Teldryn watched the way his cheeks hollowed as he puffed, his mind wandering to inappropriate places once again. Aerik held the smoke in for a moment before exhaling, long and slow. He looked so relaxed, so at ease. Teldryn felt his fingers twitch. 

“Oh, why not,” he ceded, reaching his hand across the table. Aerik grinned, handing him the joint.

“It’s strong,” he warned. Teldryn scoffed - he didn’t need to be lectured on recreational drug use. Gods knew he’d done his fair share. 

The moment the smoke hit his lungs, he knew he’d made a mistake. He was sent into a coughing fit, shakily handing the joint back to Aerik, who looked a tad concerned. 

“You alright?” he asked, and Teldryn would damn himself to Oblivion and back before he admitted that he wasn’t alright. 

“Fine…” he croaked, taking a long drink of beer before coughing a bit more. Fuck. He felt high already, and each cough was making it worse. Aerik puffed on the joint steadily, giving him a worried look. 

“I said I’m fine,” Teldryn repeated, disguising another cough with a laugh. “I told you it’s been a while.” 

“As you say,” Aerik teased, his eyes trailing over Teldryn’s shoulder. He sat up a little straighter, waving at someone. Teldryn turned to look, his movements feeling jerky and unnatural. The young Breton girl from earlier strolled over, her bangs damp and clinging to her forehead.

“I was wondering where you’d scampered off to,” she laughed, a bit breathless. She looked at Teldryn, holding out her hand. “Hi, I’m Nadine.” Teldryn took her hand and shook it, feeling like it was taking him far too long to respond to things. Her palm was slightly damp. 

“Teldryn,” he said at last. She dropped his hand and looked back to Aerik, still breathing hard. “The music fucking slaps tonight. You should be on the dance floor.” 

“Maybe.” Aerik shrugged, passing her the joint. She took it without a second thought, as if it were an everyday occurrence. Maybe it was between them. “I’m enjoying just taking it easy tonight.”

“Suit yourself, but uh…” Her eyes flickered to Teldryn, then back to Aerik. She leaned in and whispered something into his ear. Teldryn felt a spike of paranoia and immediately grabbed his phone, pretending to look at something, anything. Aerik laughed, pushing her away. 

“Fuck off.” He looked to Teldryn, biting his lip. “Are you much of a dancer?” 

Teldryn stared at him in disbelief, then down at himself, then back up. “Are you serious?”

Aerik laughed, loud and open. “I don’t know!” Nadine was already backing away, looking between the two of them with a sly, conspiratorial smile on her face. Teldryn felt like the butt of some kind of joke and was trying not to let it get to him. 

“I’m gonna head back upstairs,” she said, still edging away. “You guys should come up!” 

Aerik waved her away. “Go grind to your heart’s desire, like the slut you are.” She returned his comment with a middle finger before skipping off. 

“Sorry,” he offered. “She’s uh... one of my roommates. One of my best friends.”

“She seems very nice,” Teldryn said , not entirely honest. Aerik smirked, a knowing look in his eye.

“So… Wanna dance?”    
Teldryn grunted. “I’ll have to see if I can even stand first…” He groaned, pushing to his feet. His mouth was dry, but he was afraid to drink more beer. Every time he inhaled, it was as though he could feel it in his spine. Everything felt like it was happening at half-speed. He forgot how much he hated being high.

“I’m not a good dancer,” he warned. 

“I mean, what they do up there could hardly be considered dancing anyways.” 

Aerik was correct; it was hardly dancing. The music was so loud that it vibrated Teldryn’s teeth. Aerik had taken him by the hand, leading him through the undulating mass of bodies. There were half-naked dancers on stage - tits and ass jiggling in Teldryn’s periphery - as people leaned across the bar that separated them from the performers, waving bills frantically, trying to get their attention. The rest of the room was occupied by a giant dance floor where the patrons ground into each other like it was their last night on Mundus. It was certainly like no strip club Teldryn had ever been to; he could see why it was so popular.

Aerik turned to face him as they made their way to the center of the room, and  _ gods _ … Teldryn knew he was high, and perhaps just a little bit tipsy, but the sight of Aerik made him feel absolutely  _ drunk _ . It was hot in the room, too hot for Teldryn to be wearing his leather jacket, but he didn’t know where he’d put it if he took it off. He was left to sweat. Aerik moved towards him, sliding his arms beneath Teldryn’s jacket to wrap around his waist, beginning to move in time with the music, pressing their bodies together.

“Is this how you dance these days?” Teldryn asked in Aerik’s ear, hoping he wasn’t yelling. He felt the vibrations of Aerik’s laugh through his chest. 

“It’s basically sex with clothes on.” Aerik’s breath was warm against his ear as he moved a little closer, slotting their thighs together, grinding in time with the music.

“Is it, now?” Teldryn asked. He let his hands slide up Aerik’s back, then down, trailing beneath his shirt through its open sides, running a hand across his ribs. Aerik hummed, pressing his nose against the side of Teldryn’s face as they continued to sway to the music, their hips connecting. 

It was almost absurd. Teldryn felt like a different person had inhabited his body and he was simply along for the ride. He tried to imagine explaining the situation to his past self not four or five hours ago - how he would be acting half his age, grinding up against someone who was even less than that. Aerik had brought one hand up to cup the back of Teldryn’s neck, running his fingers across the back of his head, a thumb ghosting across the shell of his ear. Teldryn was hard. Aerik was, too. They both knew this about the other, and yet Teldryn wasn’t sure what to do with this information. He was too busy fixating on disjointed sensations - the slick sweat that had gathered in the small of Aerik’s back, the aftertaste of the blunt heavy against his own tongue, soft lips resting against Teldryn’s jaw. 

“Do you wanna get out of here?” Aerik asked lowly into his ear, and yes, Teldryn really, really did.    
“My place?” Teldryn asked, hoping it wasn’t too bold. 

“That’d be great.”

Teldryn let Aerik take him by the hand again, still embarrassingly hard, as he was led through the club. They passed Aerik’s roommate, Nadine, who was sandwiched between an older Imperial woman and a massive bear of a Nordic man, looking blissed out of her damn mind. She bit her tongue at Aerik through a smile, winking once before her eyes slid closed and her mouth fell open in a silent moan, the woman dipping low to kiss along her neck. Teldryn felt as though he’d walked into the realm of Sanguine himself, trapped in a pit of depravity - sex and desire so potent that the room felt fit to burst. Aerik’s hand tightened around Teldryn’s, and he was pulled down the main set of stairs, out of the club.

There was a distant ringing in his ear once they made it out onto the walk. Aerik already had his phone out, pulling up FasTravel. Teldryn gave him his address without thinking too much about it. He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked out across the boardwalk, over the canal - old shops with bar-covered windows and graffiti tags scrawled hastily across the dark wood. Aerik looped his arm through Teldryn’s, still looking at his phone as they made their way down the boardwalk and towards the main street.

“Alright, our ride should arrive in about three minutes.” Aerik grinned, pocketing his phone. He turned to look at Teldryn as they came to a halt on the corner. They were close - close enough to kiss. Teldryn was eye-height with Aerik’s lips, and it was so tempting; they were right there, plump and pink, curling upwards ever so slightly. 

“I don’t usually do this,” he said instead, oddly proud of his honesty. 

Aerik’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Well, whatever you wanna do, I’m game, even if that just means watching a movie.” 

“You were grinding against my leg for nearly twenty minutes,” Teldryn laughed. “I doubt I’ll have the resolve to just  _ watch a movie _ .” Aerik grinned at that, leaning in, almost in slow motion, and...  _ oh. _ His lips were so soft. The kiss was chaste, tentative, as if asking a question - asking for permission. It was a stark juxtaposition to what they’d done mere moments ago. Teldryn could still feel the phantom press of Aerik’s thickened cock against his thigh. He reached up, running a hand along Aerik’s jaw and the sparse stubble that grew there. He let his mouth open just a bit, his tongue sliding between Aerik’s lips. The sound that Aerik made shot a bolt of electricity down his spine. He drew back suddenly, afraid that if he didn’t stop then, he would never be able to.

“Ride’s here,” Aerik said huskily, his face still inches from Teldryn’s. He could only nod in response, stepping away. The silver sedan had pulled up to the curb, its hazard lights on. Teldryn wondered how long they’d actually been standing there kissing; it had only felt like seconds. Aerik stepped to the curb and opened the car’s back door, motioning Teldryn inside with a grand flourish. They slid into the back seat and Teldryn felt like he just couldn’t stop staring at Aerik, watching every move he made, transfixed. Their FasTravel driver was annoyingly chatty - a young Redguard girl with wrists as thin as toothpicks, decorated with bangles that clacked together any time she turned the wheel. Aerik supplied most of the conversation, succeeding so easily in talking about absolutely nothing at all, while Teldryn just watched the muscles in his neck rippling as he spoke. He ran a hand absently across Aerik’s bare thigh, letting it trail a bit higher than was probably prudent. Aerik smiled out of the corner of his mouth at him, somehow still talking to the driver.

When they arrived at Teldryn’s apartment building, he finally mumbled his thanks, realizing it was the first time he’d said anything since getting in the car. He wrapped his arm around Aerik’s waist, unwilling to let go for whatever reason; not that Aerik seemed to mind. He leaned heavily against Teldryn as he punched his key code into the building, pushing the metal door open at the sound of the buzz. It was a dump of an apartment building, and for the first time Teldryn felt mildly self-conscious of that fact. At least his own place was clean. He hoped. Fuck, had he cleaned today? They took the elevator to the fourth floor, and Aerik pressed him up against the wall, rolling his hips, his mouth hot and persistent against Teldryn’s neck. Then, he laughed and hopped playfully away as the elevator dinged. Teldryn pinched his ass with a grin, wrapping him back up in one arm to lead him down the hall. 

“Nice place,” Aerik said, the door swinging shut behind them. 

“You don’t have to lie, it’s fine,” Teldryn grumbled. Aerik wandered into the main room, curiously looking around. There was only one bedroom, so the kitchen and living room morphed into a singular space. All of his furniture was basic, sterile. Teldryn  _ had _ remembered to clean, thank the Divines. 

“Not a fan of decorations, huh?” Aerik asked, leaning against the back of the couch. 

“Pardon?”

Aerik gestured to the bare walls. 

“Ah, well, like I said,” Teldryn rubbed the sore muscles in the back of his neck. “I wasn’t sure how long I’d actually be here.” He still felt high; his skin felt far too sensitive and every time he swallowed, it was as if his throat were made of sandpaper. “Would you like something to drink?”

“What are you offering?” Aerik smirked, pushing off the couch and walking towards the kitchen. 

“Whatever you’d like.” Teldryn finally remembered to take off his jacket. His thin shirt was damp with sweat, clinging to his low back. “I need some water.” 

“Water would be good…” Aerik agreed, sounding a little dazed, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat. “How, uh, how many tattoos do you have?” Teldryn looked up at him, then down at his bare arms and the spirals of ink that traveled up them. 

“They’re not quite separate tattoos, really,” he explained as he grabbed two glasses from the cabinet. “So the answer would be ‘one very large tattoo’.” He chuckled to himself, turning to the sink. Aerik just hummed in response, moving around the island to prop himself up against the counter. He took the glass Teldryn offered him, taking a long drink. Teldryn watched his throat for what felt like the hundredth time that night. He swallowed the last bit of water with a little gasp that made Teldryn’s cock twitch. 

“So.” Aerik smiled, setting his glass down, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. “I guess my next question would be, how far do those tattoos go?” Teldryn almost choked as he sipped on his own drink, laughing through a cough, before trying again. He drained the glass, placing it by Aerik’s, then moved to stand directly in front of him, leaning in to press their hips together. 

“Well, I suppose that’s what you’re here to find out, right?” Aerik’s hands glided up his arms, around his shoulders, up the back of his neck. Their mouths met for the second time that night, and Teldryn felt like his entire body was on fire. He let his hands trail up Aerik’s sides, one settling between his shoulders, the other grabbing onto his hip, pressing him harder against the counter. 

Somehow, miraculously, they made it to the bedroom, although Aerik’s shirt was lost somewhere along the way. Teldryn practically threw him onto the bed before pulling his own shirt up and over his head. The room was dark, but he could still make out Aerik’s expression - hungry, awe-struck. He pushed back up to sitting, scooting to the edge of the bed, beginning to trail his mouth across Teldryn’s chest, following the lines of his tattoos. 

“You are,” Aerik began between open mouthed kisses, “quite possibly,” his tongue flicked across Teldryn’s right nipple - the pierced one, “the sexiest person I have ever laid eyes on.” A laugh twisted in Teldryn’s throat, turning into a low, rumbling growl, fisting Aerik’s hair roughly. Aerik gasped, looking at him with heavy eyes and parted lips, startled. His hand jerked up to clasp Teldryn’s wrist. 

“Does flattery usually get you what you want?” Teldryn asked lowly, and Aerik smiled. 

“Usually,” he answered. “But I already have what I want.” His hands moved to Teldryn’s pants, beginning to work at the button and zipper. Teldryn sighed appreciatively, letting go of Aerik’s hair and taking a step back from the bed. Aerik sunk to his knees on the floor, pulling Teldryn’s pants down enough to let his cock spring free. 

“Fuck yes,” Aerik whispered heatedly before grabbing Teldryn by the base and closing his mouth around the head. The noise Teldryn made surprised even himself, something raw and almost desperate. His hands were back in Aerik’s hair, brushing it away from his face, gathering it into a ponytail to hold in his fist as the lad bobbed around him. He watched, mesmerized by the way Aerik’s lips seemed to perfectly form around him - a mouth made just for his pleasure - hot and sweet and so soft.

“Gorgeous,” Teldryn rumbled, and he wasn’t sure if he’d said it out loud or not, but then Aerik pulled away with a wet noise and looked up at him, smirking. 

“Now who’s flattering?”

“Hush.” Teldryn chuckled, sliding his thumb across Aerik’s lower lip, cupping the side of his head. “Do you want me to fuck you?” It came out far gentler than he’d intended. 

Aerik leaned into his hand with a sigh, eyes falling closed. “That’d be great, yeah.”

Aerik was on his back, by Teldryn’s request, a pillow beneath his hips and his cock in his hand. He stroked it slowly as he watched Teldryn roll on the condom. Aerik had wanted to dive right in, no prep, which made Teldryn a little nervous. 

“I’d be more than happy to–” 

“It’s fine, I swear,” Aerik insisted with a grin. “Just go slow... if you can.” He winked, still a bit too cavalier for Teldryn’s liking.

“I think my restraint would surprise you,” he mumbled, squeezing some lube out onto his fingers and leaning forward over Aerik. He slicked up his own cock before rubbing the remainder of the lube across Aerik’s hole, earning himself a delightful moan when he slid just the tip of one of his fingers past that tight pucker.

“Please,” Aerik pleaded, and Teldryn shushed him again.

He took his damn time for sure, pressing in so slowly that Aerik was a squirming mess, trying to push himself down on Teldryn’s cock. Teldryn just held him in place with a firm hand against his chest, watching the head of his cock disappear into Aerik’s tight ass, feeling as if his body belonged to someone else. Aerik’s breathing was heavy and loud, one hand wrapped around Teldryn’s forearm, while the other was fisted in the sheets. When Teldryn finally bottomed out, they both let out a long groan of relief. 

“You fucking bastard,” Aerik panted, laughing, running his hands up Teldryn’s arms, across his shoulders, cupping the back of his neck. 

“You told me to go slow,” Teldryn said, dipping down for a kiss. Aerik kissed back furiously, wrapping his legs around Teldryn’s waist, a small, needy sound catching in the back of his throat. 

“Fuck me, please just–ah!” Teldryn rocked his hips, effectively silencing whatever Aerik was about to say. All of Teldryn’s patience had dried up, his hips beginning to piston of their own accord, brutally fast. Aerik was  _ loud _ . Gods, was he loud. Aerik was the first person Teldryn had fucked in Riften. He vaguely wondered if his neighbors even knew he existed. They’d certainly know now. He straightened up, hooking the backs of Aerik’s knees in the crooks of his arms. The change in angle made Aerik cry out.

“Touch yourself,” Teldryn commanded, his voice a ragged growl. Aerik moaned in time to every other thrust, his eyes unfocused, but his hand flew to his dick at Teldryn’s words, fisting it furiously. Fuck, he was gorgeous. Teldryn just stared, just watched, hypnotized. A light sheen of sweat had gathered across Aerik’s chest and brow. His face contorted, eyes screwed shut. Teldryn could fuck him for hours, he decidedm – just absolutely wreck him, push him to his limit. Aerik’s body, however, seemed to have different ideas. 

“Oh fuck, I’m gonna–” With a surprised shout Aerik spent himself across his own stomach, a long, hot rope of pearly slick. Teldryn slowed his movements, reaching down to replace Aerik’s hand on his dick with his own. 

“I don’t think you’re done,” he growled, rocking his hips slowly, pumping Aerik’s dick even slower, milking every last drop of cum out of Aerik until he was shaking and whimpering, begging. His fingernails raked down Teldryn’s sides, thighs clenched tightly around his waist. The bite of pain was enough to push Teldryn over the edge and he came with a hiss through his teeth, pumping three or four more times into Aerik’s ass before slowly pulling out. 

Aerik went completely slack, legs falling open, breathing heavily. His body trembled with small, rippling aftershocks of pleasure, a large, dopey smile forming on his face. He started laughing: little more than breathless, stuttering huffs, his sides pulsing silently. Teldryn just gazed down at him in awe, his arms feeling twice their weight. He still couldn’t believe this man was actually in his bed. 

“I…” Aerik began, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat, still laughing. “I don’t want you to think I’m flattering you even more,” he tried again, “but I think that was some of the best sex I’ve ever had.”

Teldryn laughed a little louder than he meant to, a short bark of amusement. “Well,” he sighed, still chuckling as he squeezed the spent condom off his dick. ”That just means there’s nowhere to go but up, then.” Did he just imply they would have sex again? He tied off the end and tossed the condom in the trash, stumbling away from the bed with sore knees and stiff legs. 

Walking to the bathroom, he grabbed a hand towel, dampening one edge in the sink before returning to the room. Aerik hadn’t moved, still staring up at the ceiling with a blissed-out smile. He wiped Aerik’s stomach off, dabbing away the residual mess, before quickly cleaning himself and tossing the towel haphazardly into a corner. Aerik was already sliding beneath the covers and Teldryn was eager to join him. 

“Did you want some water?” he asked first.

“Yes, please,” Aerik said through a yawn. Teldryn padded back into the kitchen, still naked, filling their cups from earlier. Aerik took the cup from him with both hands, drinking almost the entire glass in three gulps. Teldryn smiled softly, endeared, as he set his own glass on the bedside table. He climbed beneath the covers and Aerik was on him in an instant, wrapping him up in his long arms and even longer legs. He tucked his head against Teldryn’s shoulder, his breath tickling the side of his neck.

“Hope you don’t mind cuddling,” Aerik said against his collarbone. 

Teldryn huffed in amusement. “I quite enjoy it, actually.” He brought a hand up to run through Aerik’s hair, still damp around his forehead and temples. A rush of affection made Teldryn wrap his other arm around Aerik, pulling him closer, pressing his lips to the top of his head.  _ Dangerous _ , he thought to himself.  _ This feeling is dangerous. _

They chatted sleepily about fairly mundane things. Aerik wanted to know about Solstheim and Morrowind and Dunmeri culture. Teldryn indulged him, talking a bit about what it was like to grow up in Blacklight at the beginning of the fifth era (and subtly giving away his age). Aerik didn’t seem phased one bit. He waxed poetic about studying the history of the Nerevarine in college and the mythology surrounding them.

“It was one of my favorite classes,” he sighed, running his fingers lightly over the sparse hair in the center of Teldryn’s chest. “It helped that the professor was hot.” Teldryn chuckled in response, continuing to stroke Aerik’s hair. He learned that Aerik was the drummer of a punk band called  _ Dragonfuckers _ . “They can’t put the word ‘fuck’ on most of the bilboards, so a lot of people think our band is called ‘Dragonlovers’, which is so lame.” Teldryn just breathed in the smell of Aerik’s hair, letting his eyes fall closed as the lad continued to talk. He felt himself beginning to drift off when Aerik shifted, pressing a kiss along Teldryn’s neck, his jaw, capturing his mouth. He kissed him like a lover, like they’d known each other for years, not a night. It was unhurried, full of startling tenderness. Teldryn cupped Aerik’s jaw, running a thumb across his cheek. 

“Goodnight, Teldryn,” Aerik said against his lips before settling back down. 

Teldryn sighed, squeezing him tightly to his chest. “Goodnight, Aerik.” 

\---

Teldryn woke up to an empty bed. 

He sat up a little faster than he meant to, blinking blearily around the room, head swimming. The light that drifted through his shuttered blinds was golden and fresh; it was probably only seven or eight in the morning. He looked down at the empty place next to him, his chest constricting painfully, but what had he expected? He fell back against the pillows, digging the heels of his hands into his eyes before letting his arms drop.  _ You’re an idiot, _ he internally scolded. _ A sentimental old fool. _ A hollowness settled behind his sternum as he stared blankly at the ceiling, mentally trying to convince himself to get up and carry on with the day. It had been a beautiful adventure… but nothing more. 

The sudden sound of the sink running in the bathroom made him jump, his eyes jerking towards the door. The bathroom door swung open and Aerik backed out wearing nothing but his light pink boxer briefs, shutting the door quietly behind him. He startled slightly when he saw Teldryn staring at him, and laughed nervously as he padded across the room.

“I was trying to be quiet,” he explained as he crawled back into the bed, his voice rough with sleep. He moved to drape an arm across Teldryn’s chest but stopped, his brow creasing in concern. “Are you okay?” Teldryn had been holding his breath. He exhaled all at once, pulling Aerik down against him as relief flooded his body, warming him to his toes.

“I thought you’d left,” he sighed, chuckling despite himself. 

Aerik made an offended noise. “And miss out on some possible morning sex?” He laughed, tangling their legs together. “No way.” 

Teldryn smiled wide, rolling them over, pinning Aerik beneath him and kissing him hungrily. His breath probably smelled terrible, but he didn’t care - Aerik clearly didn’t either, sliding his tongue between Teldryn’s lips, nibbling and biting through a pleased smile. They rocked into each other slowly, indulgently, and eventually Teldryn pulled Aerik’s cock from his little briefs and pressed their lengths together, stroking them in tandem. He pulled another orgasm from Aerik, lips pressed to his fluttering pulse point as he came beneath him with a shudder and a sigh. Teldryn followed suit mere seconds later, the sight of Aerik debauched and in his bed in the full light of morning almost too much. 

They fell back asleep for a little while, the soft golden light of morning creeping across the wall, becoming harsher and brighter until Teldryn couldn’t keep his eyes closed any longer. Aerik was still passed out, long hair fanned across the pillow and mussed around his face. Teldryn pushed some of the strands out of the way, tucking them behind Aerik’s short, rounded ear. The way Aerik sighed made his chest tighten and Teldryn pulled his hand back as if he’d been burned. He had to get a hold of himself. 

Teldryn quietly made his way to the bathroom, turning on the shower. He stared at his reflection in the large mirror as he waited for the water to warm, trying to see through Aerik’s eyes, to figure out what he could possibly see in him. He ran a hand across his jaw, pressed the tips of his fingers into the loose skin beneath his eyes, traced the faded, blurry lines of ink that arched across his cheekbones. He supposed he was handsome. Maybe not to everyone, but he was… unique-looking. His body was a map of scars and ink, carefully collected over the years. There was a time that each of them had a story, but Teldryn had lost count along the way. Steam began to curl up from behind the glass shower door and Teldryn pushed away from his reflection, stepping into the shower. The sex from last night was a bit hazy, his mind muddled by various substances. The sex this morning, however, was clear and crisp and Teldryn wanted it to happen all over again. His cock was thickening just thinking about it, but he ignored it in favor of washing - he had a day to see to, whatever it might bring.

He finished up and dried off, sauntering back into his bedroom with the towel slung around his waist. Aerik was awake, lying on his stomach and typing on his phone. He looked over with a smile as Teldryn entered, his eyes unashamedly raking across his body. 

“You showered without inviting me?” he pouted, tossing his phone onto a pillow and rolling onto his back, stretching languidly as if Teldryn’s bed were his own. As if he belonged in it. 

“My apologies,” Teldryn chuckled, picking out fresh clothes. “You’re welcome to take one, if you’d like.”

“It’s all good, I’ll just take one when I get home.” He sighed loudly, releasing his stretch. “But thanks. You’re a phenomenal host, by the way.” Teldryn scoffed at that, dropping his towel to step into a fresh pair of boxers. Aerik wolf-whistled.

“You don’t tire easily, do you?” Teldryn huffed, turning around to give Aerik an amused look. Aerik just shrugged, throwing back the covers and sauntering over to his discarded shorts, stepping into them. 

“I doubt I’d ever get tired of looking at you,” he confessed, freezing up as soon as the words left his mouth, eyes growing slightly wider with realization. Teldryn watched him shake it off, slide back into his devil-may-care attitude, winking and making a show of zipping up his pants - though a rosey flush had crept across his cheeks and along his ears. 

“Now, where’s my shirt?” 

\---

“May I give you a ride home?” 

Aerik looked up from his phone from where he’d already pulled up the FasTravel app. “That’d be awesome. If you don’t mind, that is. I mean, as long as it’s not putting you out…”

“Aerik, I offered,” Teldryn chuckled. “So long as you don’t have an aversion to motorcycles.” 

Aerik’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head. “You have a motorcycle!?” He almost dropped his phone in his haste to pocket it, skipping to Teldryn’s side. “Gods, do you even know how hot that is?” He slid his arms around Teldryn’s waist, pressing their hips together. 

“It was cheaper than a car,” Teldryn argued, feeling a bit breathless as his head was tipped back and Aerik kissed him. He reached up to thread his fingers through his long hair indulgently, biting at his lower lip and earning a groan. 

“Get it all out of your system now,” Teldryn rumbled against Aerik’s mouth. “Because if you try to pull anything while I’m driving, I may very well crash.” 

Aerik lived in the up-and-coming part of town where coffee shops, breweries, and record stores abounded.  _ Sweethome _ , he’d heard it called - a rough translation of  _ Varprana, _ which was what the Khajiit population had named it. There was more of cultural mixing here than in any other part of the city. Teldryn found it remarkably refreshing, wondering how he hadn’t managed to make it to this side of town yet. They passed youthful gaggles of humans and elves, all looking fresh-faced and trendy, straight out of a magazine.  _ Hipsters _ . There were more Khajiit here than he’d seen anywhere else in Riften. They passed a large store that boasted Elsweyr goods, foods, incense, and the like, Khajiit warriors on tapestries hanging from the windows, flags and banners fluttering proudly outside. Directly next door was a barber shop - two tall, thin Khajiit standing outside in primly pressed shirts and cuffed jeans, their fur shining sleekly in the mid-morning sun, rings glinting on their fingers as they gestured emphatically in mid conversation. Teldryn heard one of them laugh as they zipped past on his bike. He felt Aerik’s arms shift around his waist, sliding across his stomach, and Teldryn revved the engine a bit, smiling as Aerik clung harder. 

They pulled up in front of Aerik’s house and Teldryn killed the engine, giving Aerik a moment to swing off the bike and take his helmet off. It was a gorgeous old house, three stories, massive front porch. The Breton girl from last night, Nadine, if he remembered correctly, was sitting on the front porch wearing large sunglasses, joined by another girl with a wild mess of auburn hair reading a book. Nadine raised a glass of what looked to be a Bloody Barenziah in silent greeting. 

“Oh she’s hungover as fuck…” Aerik laughed, handing Teldryn the extra helmet.

“Beautiful house.” 

“Wanna come in?” Aerik offered, but Teldryn shook his head. 

“Unfortunately I have things I should attend to today, as much as I’d love to get the grand tour.” 

Aerik smirked with a wink. “Another time then.” Teldryn smiled thinly and Aerik seemed to falter in his vibrato. He shifted awkwardly, looking over his shoulder, then back at Teldryn. 

“Do you…” He ran a hand through his hair nervously, looking off to the side. “I mean, would you possibly like to, I don’t know, get dinner? Or something? Not tonight! But, like... eventually? At some point?” For the first time since meeting him, Aerik looked unsure, his shoulders tense, braced for rejection. Teldryn knew he should say no. He should end whatever they’d started before it had time to grow. His lack of immediate answer spurred Aerik into filling the silence. 

“I mean, I know that’s kind of… doing things backwards,” he laughed, shrugging and avoiding eye contact. “But I’d, um, really like to get to know you more. If you want, I mean. But also, I totally get it, if not. No hard feelings at all, I just figured if I didn’t at least ask-”

“Aerik,” Teldryn interrupted with a low chuckle. 

“Sorry,” Aerik laughed, “sorry...”

Teldryn tucked his lips around his teeth, thinking. “I’d…” He sighed, his resolve slipping. “Dinner would be nice.”

Aerik’s eyes widened ever so slightly. “Really?” 

“Yeah.” Teldryn shrugged, trying to keep his body language casual. “It would be nice.” 

“It would be nice,” Aerik repeated teasingly, a grin slowly spreading across his face. 

They exchanged numbers and set a tentative dinner date - Turdas evening, Boardwalk Cornerclub, seven o’clock. Aerik lingered for a moment longer after giving Teldryn his phone back, and it was obvious what he wanted. It was ridiculous that he didn’t just take it. Teldryn stepped forward, bridging the gap between them. The kiss was simple, a place-holder. It promised more. But it still lingered, resonating almost painfully in the center of Teldryn’s chest as Aerik took his face into his hands, smiling against his mouth.

“Bye,” he whispered before stepping away, walking backwards towards the porch with a pleased grin. Teldryn just smiled at him before re-fastening his helmet, securing the second one beneath the seat. His bike roared to life and he pulled out of the driveway, making a concerted effort not to look back one last time.

His apartment felt oddly lonely when he got home, in a way it had never felt before. He tossed his keys onto the counter and unzipped his leather jacket, throwing it over the back of the couch. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and pulled it out, smiling at the screen. 

_ [Aerik: im gonna text u a lot so prepare urself] _

Teldryn chuckled, running a hand over his eyes, quietly hating how giddy he felt. 

_ [That’s perfectly fine.]  _

He slid his phone back into his pocket and set about making lunch. A few moments later, his phone went off again, and he checked it with a smile. His expression quickly dropped when he saw it wasn’t from Aerik - when he realized who it was from. It was a simple text: a name, a location, a time. Teldryn sighed as he pocketed his phone again, leaning forward and pressing his hands against the cool counter top, letting his head hang. He pushed away, walking rigidly to his bedroom. From beneath his bed he pulled out a heavily locked and warded black trunk. He quickly dismantled the wards, undid the locks, and pulled two glocks from inside. He checked and re-cast their muffle charms before strapping the gun holster across his chest. The previous night had been a nice reprieve, but playtime was over. 

Back to work. 

**Author's Note:**

> As always, please slam a kudo and drop a comment! I love hearing from readers.


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